," replied the
lady, and disappeared like a vision.

The young merchant lost no time in waiting on the kazi at his court of
justice, whom he thus addressed: "My lord, I am come to ask your
daughter in marriage, of whom I am deeply enamoured." Quoth the judge:
"Sir, my daughter is unworthy of the honour you design for her. But be
pleased to accompany me to my dwelling, where we can talk over this
matter more at leisure." They proceeded thither accordingly, and after
partaking of refreshments, the young man repeated his request, giving a
true account of his position and prospects, and offering to settle
fifteen purses on the young lady. The kazi expressed his gratification,
but doubted whether the offer was made in all seriousness, but when
assured that such was the case, he said: "I no longer doubt your
earnestness and sincerity in this affair; it is, however, just possible
that your feelings may change after the marriage, and it is but natural
that I should now take proper precautions for my daughter's welfare. You
will not blame me, therefore, if, in addition to the fifteen purses you
have offered, I require that five more be paid down previous to the
marriage, to be forfeited in case of a divorce." "Say ten," cried the
merchant, and the kazi looked more and more astonished, and even
ventured to remonstrate with him on his precipitancy, but without
effect. To be brief, the kazi consented, the ten purses were paid down,
the legal witnesses summoned, and the nuptial contract signed that very
evening; the consummation of the marriage being, much against the will
of our lover, deferred till the following day.

When the wedding guests had dispersed, the young merchant was admitted
to the chamber of his bride, whom he discovered to be humpbacked and
hideous beyond conception! As soon as it was day, he arose from his
sleepless couch and repaired to the public baths, where, after his
ablutions, he gave himself up to melancholy reflections. Mingled with
grief for his disappointment was mortification at having been the dupe
of what now appeared to him a very shallow artifice, which nothing but
his own passionate and unthinking precipitation could have rendered
plausible. Nor was he without some twinges of conscience for the
sarcasms which he had often uttered against women, and for which his
present sufferings were no more than a just retribution. Then came
meditations of revenge upon the beautiful author of all this mischief;